I would like to draw the attention of Sharjah Municipality to the park in Rolla, where renovation work started nearly four years ago. The work seems to have been completed months ago and I think it can be opened any time. If there is any work left, it can be done after opening the park. There is no other park in the area where our children can play. Naturally, the children who live there are eagerly waiting for it to open.
Sharjah Municipality deserves appreciation for building this much-needed facility. That said, I have not seen any rides or play area for small children in that park. Will the municipality take note of it?
Sachin Gupta, Sharjah
Honour Malala by educating the girl child
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons deservedly won the Nobel Prize for its work in eliminating the chemical-weapons stockpile in Syria (Chemical arms watchdog wins Nobel, October 12).
Getting rid of weapons of mass destruction from the world is a task of utmost importance. A few days before, however, the European Parliament awarded the Sakharov Prize to Malala Yousafzai, the 16-year-old girl from Waziristan. The UN, as well as countries such as the UAE, the UK, the US and Jordan, have lauded her efforts and courage to stand up against the ruthless Taliban.
Honour her by educating your girls. The UAE is a great example where 60 per cent of university students are young women.
You have set a great example, Malala. Pakistan thanks you.
Kanwar Hayat, Dubai
No shortage of Canadian authors
It was a thrill to see one of my favourite authors featured in The National. But the report on the Nobel Prize for Literature (Munro lands Nobel Prize, October 11) begins: "The Canadian author, Alice Munro, won the …"
This unfortunate bit of punctuation has the effect of indicating that there are no other Canadian authors. Without the commas, the first three words would have been merely descriptive. If people in the UAE do not know about other past and present Canadian writers, they should: Stephen Leacock, Margaret Laurence, Mordecai Richler, Saul Bellow, Margaret Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, Douglas Coupland, Carol Shields, Yann Martel, Gabrielle Roy, Émile Nelligan, Roch Carrier, Marie-Claire Blais. The list goes on.
Elizabeth Baums, Abu Dhabi
Ibn Battuta lecture lacked content
NYU’s public lecture series on Thursday evenings is an asset to the community.
Last Thursday’s lecture by Tim Mackintosh-Smith on Ibn Battuta was, however, rambling and almost totally lacking in content and I left disappointed, knowing very little more about a character I have been told is an important historical figure.
Mackintosh-Smith could have been congratulated on leaving out the inevitable “powerpoint” presentation if he had had anything with which to replace it. Instead, we were invited to simper at his delivery.
A more critical approach from organisers of university or arts events, demanding original and challenging performances, could enrich the city’s cultural life for little extra effort.
Will Higgs, Abu Dubai
Brotherhood will end in Egypt
I refer to the opinion article Is this the end of the failed Muslim Brotherhood project? (October 5) by Hussein Ibish. The Muslim Brotherhood deserves credit for being able to survive for decades underground.
However, its inability to govern or share, and its craving for absolute power in Egypt brought it to its knees. The Brotherhood started in Egypt, and it seems it will end there.
Name withheld by request
Eid events will cheer up expats
The Eid Al Adha holidays have already begun. It’s exciting that Dubai Municipality has lined up so many programmes and activities in the parks and malls. My children cannot wait to watch some of those events and experience late-night shopping. These events will lift the mood of expatriates like me who miss home and family.
Sahil Ahmed, Dubai
